ME eN YOU (free)

Is there a bigger question mark or potential X-factor in Madison's music scene than ME eN YOU? The uber-talented, groovy and thoughtful-but-never-contrived hip-hop band makes music that cuts right to the bone, but tragically, they've put out so few recordings. Still, the four songs they've released (three of which form an EP, We Are A Mediocre Masterpiece. Now What?) are jam-packed with ideas and provide hearty listening sustenance on their own. That's especially true of the defiant track "We Are," where the group seems to invoke both The Roots and Kids These Days to create a punky, funky combustion of jazzy melodies and rapid-fire rhymes. That said, live is the best way to get introduced to the vocal and instrumental talent crammed into the band's large and frequently shifting lineup. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber